It’s been reported that First Fruits, the spiritual group that Park Jin Younger provides Bible lectures for, has registered with Ministry of Tradition, Sports activities and Tourism as a non-profit company. The registration says it’s a pastoral enterprise for evangelism by means of occasions like seminars, retreats, lectures, schooling, missionary work, publishing, and extra.
The report by Ilyo Shinmun has detailed some “crimson flags” concerning the company, beginning with JYP Leisure‘s earlier insistence that Park Jin Younger was not behind First Fruits, but they certain appear deeply concerned individually or by means of connections.
The stated “Bible seminars,” nevertheless, discuss with Bible lectures carried out by JYP himself. Ilyo Shinmun additionally confirmed that, within the public disclosure paperwork for First Fruits’ non-profit company monetary statements, the CEO is No Seok Hee—a health coach who appeared on KBS’s Golden Women alongside JYP in October 2023. A JYP Leisure consultant has since clarified that No shouldn’t be an worker of JYP Leisure. However there was a big donation of ₩25.0 million KRW (about $18,900 USD) made to First Fruits from JYP Leisure’s vice chairman, Byun Sang Bong.
There have been additionally critical issues raised concerning the theological {qualifications} of individuals like JYP to be preaching.
Second is the theological validity of JYP’s Bible seminars. In a previous seminar video, JYP himself famous, “I’ve not studied theology at a theological faculty, nor am I a pastor, however I need to make clear freedom as somebody who has been liberated.”
In accordance with Ilyo Shinmun, pastors instructing the Bible to church members have usually accomplished graduate theological research and take ordination exams with their affiliated denomination. Earlier than taking the ordination examination, they examine church historical past, church structure, and study sermon writing together with their thesis. And so, there’s stigma surrounding the well-known Okay-Pop famous person, who, regardless of missing formal theological coaching, not solely interprets the Bible with out being a part of a longtime denomination but additionally lectures on it.
Moreover, First Fruits has a closed-off nature that along with the shortage of theological examine, issues at the very least one pastor.
Final is the “closed nature” of First Fruits’ actions. The official First Fruits web site requires membership registration and login to entry sure pages (just like the “Location” or “FAQ” pages) and attend worship. As most cult-related actions happen behind closed doorways, First Fruits being secretive is inevitably suspicious.
Pastor Kim Younger Han commented through Ilyo Shinmun, “It’s harmful to evangelise the Bible with out learning orthodox theology, and it’s regarding that they’ve even established a company. Simply as consuming meals with unknown origins can result in sickness, the closed nature of First Fruits’ company raises issues about potential cult-related points.”
All of this appears like legitimate cause for concern in a vacuum, with most of the netizen response being apparent when it comes to worrying about issues turning into cult-like.
Nonetheless, this won’t even make the information if it was anyone however JYP, however the cause for the elevated concern surrounding it’s because not solely was he topic to criticism when First Fruits began and he was preaching, but additionally he has beforehand been accused of involvement with the controversial Salvation Sect again in 2018, and so far as I do know we’re nonetheless ready for his response.
Hey, possibly it’s nothing and persons are overreacting (hopefully), nevertheless it’s laborious to say the issues about this enterprise are unfounded.